Now, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, a Thibodaux trucking company hopes to show that southern hospitality to those working to recover.

"With our business here, we lost half of it during Hurricane Gustav and it really meant a lot to us when we had people coming here to volunteer their time and effort, so we thought we'd return the favor," said Trey Ledbetter with Arabie Trucking.

The devastation in New York and New Jersey hit home for everyone who works at Arabie Trucking.

Dea Arabie, whose parents own the business, said the images brought back memories of the hardships her family faced during Hurricane Gustav.

"When I went to my house, I couldn't live in my house five months after Gustav," said Arabie. "The things they must be going through, It's cold there, their basements are flooded, they've lost almost everything."

Since they received a helping hand during their hardship, the family says they want to pay it forward.

The crew at Arabie trucking is trying to fill two large trucks with supplies to take to Amityville, N.Y., just in time for Thanksgiving.

Ledbetter is helping to steer the effort, and says what started as a small company initiative, is now spreading across southeast louisiana. Donation sites have been set up in Lafourche, Assumption, Terrebonne, and St. Charles parishes.

The Arabi's chose Amityville, as its donation recipient because it reminded them of their own hometown of Thibodaux. They said it's a community of blue collar, hard-working, resilient people. The Arabies said while it's so far away, the troubles they are now facing hit close to home.

The company said if they receive enough donations, they would like to donate to several cities across the Northeast.

The trucks will roll out on Nov. 19 and will arrive two days later.

You can follow the trucks progress on the road through its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lagniappefromthebayou. You can follow the trucks on their route to New York, and see pictures of donations being handed out.

They will be accepting donations daily at 163 Lincoln Lane, Thibodeaux.

There will also be donation barrels set up at the "Big Boy Cook-off" in Thibodaux from 6-10 p.m., and at Thibodeauxville Fall Festival from 8-5 p.m. Donation drop sites also include the Mathews Government Complex and the Galliano Government Complex.